"A
political party is a bit like a church, and so it was with the Communist
Party of Australia. Though now defunct, our Party had a distinctive world
outlook embodied in a set of beliefs, doctrines and theories. As with
Communist Parties throughout the world, the CPA felt that it was the agent
of forces independent of and greater than itself–in its case, the forces
of history. Like churches, communist parties protected, moulded, informed,
inspired and sometimes coerced or punished their members. . . Communist
parties were motivated by strongly held values and theories that sometimes
became transformed into theologies. They had their own schisms and
breakaway sects based on particular interpretations of the founding
texts." (Pages IX and X)
Faith
Dialectical Materialism is based upon faith. Two major articles of this
faith are:
1. "There is nothing in the world
except matter in motion." Hence the name "Materialism."
2. "Progress is inherent in being."
Materialism
Communist theology is not agnostic; it is atheistic. It affirms
categorically that God does not exist. Lenin insisted that atheism is an
essential element of Marxism; of the theory and practice of Scientific
Socialism.
Communist Atheism,
however, does not prevent Communists from recognizing that existing
religions are social forces to be harnessed and exploited.
Inevitable Progress
Whence did the Communists derive the conviction that "being is
progressive?" Aaron’s explains it thus:
"The
theory of evolution, which some thinkers linked with a theory of
inevitable upward development, had also become widely accepted. All this
coupled with Marx’s humanistic values, influenced him in his
investigations of society. He sought, and thought he had found, the law of
motion of capitalist society which, ‘with the inexorability of a law of
nature’ would give rise to higher forms of society, socialism, then
communism." (Page 243)
The hideous
history of the 20th century, with its two world wars, innumerable
smaller wars, the holocaust, genocide, classicide, racism and corruption,
exposes the absurdity of this delusion.
The Deification of History
The Communists personified and deified history. They assume it has a
will and a moral directive. Mikhail Gorbachev still clings to this
personification of history as his answer to the question asked by Clark
Bowers reveals:
"Mr
Gorbachev, you made it quite clear in you book Perestroika that
your solution for the problems of the USSR was not to abandon the
Marxist-Leninist course but rather to adapt it to modern times, and
interpret it more accurately. Do you still, generally believe that the way
for the world to perfect human nature is by eliminating the corrupting
influence of the capitalist economic environment, or do you now disagree
with what you wrote in Perestroika?"
Mikhail Gorbachev:
"My general beliefs have not changed. Yet, in the past, the
way in which those beliefs have ben interpreted, applied to diverse
cultures and forced along by man, instead of History, has been
awful." (Page 463 Beating the Unbeatable Foe)
History is
no longer a record of the activity of nature and humanity; it is a
personality with a will and a moral code.
The ex-communist, Eric
Aarons, debunks the doctrine that history is determined by impersonal forces
when he writes:
"Had
the famous Long March of the Chinese communists from southern China to the
northwest failed, the course of history is likely to have been
substantially different. With Mao Tse-tung as leader, they escaped
imminent annihilation to set up a base in Shanhsi, from which they
advanced to nationwide victory. On many occasions they could have fallen
and no ‘law’ of history, economics, politics or anything else would
have saved them. Yet, whatever one feels about the actual outcome, the
success of the Long March and the accompanying consolidation of mao’s
position had profound consequences–as would its failure have had. It is
possible, though unconvincing to the point of absurdity, to assert that
historical law would nevertheless have resulted in a later, equivalent
triumph." (Page 247)
The Negation of the Negation
Like most religions, Dialectical Materialism has as esoteric vocabulary
in which the meaning of each term is known to a chosen few. Some of these
words are–Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis, Negation, Contradiction,
Progress, and, of course, Dialectical.
Negation
Let us return to the analogy of the nail being driven into a block of
wood as we consider the meaning of the term "negation." It does
not mean cancellation or elimination, but transformation.
The hammer is brought
down upon the head of the nail with considerable force. The wood
"negates" the blow, but, in the process the nail moves forward
slightly.
The resultant synthesis
leads to the withdrawal of the hammer. At the appropriate moment the
withdrawal is "negated" and transformed into the downward thrust.
Again the hammer is negated, but, in the process, the position of the nail
is advanced somewhat from where it was as a result of the previous negation.
Thus, we have "The Negation of the Negation."
Progress proceeds by a
series of "Negations of the Negation."
Mikhail Gorbachev, in
his recently published Memoirs, describes Perestroika as a
"Negation of the Negation." He writes:
". .
.perestroika was both a result of our preceding development and a sort of
‘negation of negation’ phase, where we were beginning to free
ourselves of what had become brakes to further progress. Thanks to the
political and economic reforms, Socialism was being freed of distortions,
returned to its sources and at the same time was reaching new and historic
frontiers of renewal." Memoirs, page 250.
Since the
attainment of Socialism is foreordained, a negation cannot be a defeat. It
can only be a retreat.
Psychological Benefits
The Benefits which the Communists receive from their faith in
Dialectical Materialism are largely psychological. They include:
Enhanced self-esteem:
Whatever the material circumstances may be, a Communist believes himself
or herself to be a member of an intellectual elite which is historically
ordained to ultimately rule and remake mankind. As Joseph Stalin said in
his speech on the death of Lenin, "We Communists are people of a
special stuff, we are made from a special mold."
Deliverance from Despair:
They do not experience the emotions of despair that accompany defeat. Each
apparent defeat is merely a retreat. Victory lies ahead.
Moral Flexibility: They
are free to practice all the techniques of hypocrisy, while feeling
righteous and serene. Reversals of loyalty and betrayals of friends are
not manifestations of hypocrisy, but evidence of devotion to a higher
good.
THE CHINESE
COMMUNISTS ATTACK THE USA
Guided by the conviction that "attack is
the best form of defense," the Chinese Communists have launched a
vicious, malicious, and slanderous attack upon the human rights record of
the USA in their magazine, Beijing Review, March 17-23, 1997.
The logic used in the
attack reminds me of a game we used to play as children. It went like this:
Question–Where did your grandfather
die?
Answer–in bed.
Question–Where did your grandmother die?
Answer–in bed.
Question–Where did your uncle die?
Answer–in bed.
Response–"I am not going to bed anymore. It’s too
dangerous."
The article
also reminds me of two sayings:
"Figures can’t lie, but liars can
figure."
"A lie which is half a truth is ever the blackest of lies."
(Tennyson)
The article
attacks America under the following headings:
Constitutional Protection Below
International Standards;
Moneybag Democracy;
A Land of Terror;
Poverty, Hunger, and the Homeless;
Deep-Rooted Racial Discrimination;
The Deplorable State of Women and Children;
Human Rights Violations Against Other Nations.
Space does not permit a detailed rebuttal
to each charge. Here are a few examples.
Attacking the Constitution:
The following statement is made:
"While
the right to equality is generally stipulated as a basic content and
principle of human rights in the constitutions of various countries, the
US Constitution adopted in 1787 and its amendment, the Bill of Rights,
adopted in 1789, do not contain provisions concerning the right to
equality. The word "equality" is not even found." (Page 12)
This statement in the Declaration of
Independence is ignored:
"We
hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal; that
they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights; that
among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Moneybag Democracy:
Under the heading "Moneybag Democracy," the Chinese Communists
repeatedly stress:
"Political
democracy in the United States has always been a game of the rich. . .
"American
politics has increasingly become the politics of buying power through
money. Political campaign expenses in the United States are funded mainly
through donations from a few large financial groups or wealthy people.
According to statistics, 70 percent of campaign donations come from big
corporate donors. In the 1996 elections, both Democrats and the
Republicans raised huge amounts of money by auctioning opportunities to
win the president or congressmen. . .
"At a
fund-raising party of the Democratic National Committee, those who donated
US $100,000 got dinner with the president and vise-president. Fund-raising
parties of the Republican National Committee were just the same; those who
donated US $250,000 could personally present their view before some Senate
or House committees and attend a luncheon with House Speaker Newt Gingrich
and Republican presidential candidate, Bob Dole." (Page 14)
The
hypocrisy of the Chinese Communists is revealed by their recent attempts to
buy favors from the US authorities by illegally contributing large sums to
the Democratic and Republican committees and leaders. Their conduct
illustrates the tactic of the thief who tries to escape by calling
"stop thief."
An uninformed reader of
this article must conclude that the United States is a hell on earth. How
then can we account for the indisputable fact that the United States is a
magnet which attracts million of the poor of the earth to its shores.
"Actions speak louder than words."
ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOLISM IN
RUSSIA
Mikhail Gorbachev, the former General
Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (CPSU), and President
of the Soviet Union (USSR), has written his Memoirs. They have been
published in English by Doubleday.
He describes his
ill-fated attempt to diminish the deadly consequences of alcohol and
alcoholism in Russia, under the caption,
THE ANTI-ALCOHOL CAMPAIGN: A NOBLE
CAUSE, A SAD END
Here are selected statements:
"It
is no secret that drunkenness has been a scourge in Russia since the
Middle Ages. . .
"Alcoholism
became an acute social problem that was shamefully hushed up for years.
Drunkards were declared to be ‘morally depraved,’ while Soviet
propaganda asserted that in a socialist society there were no objective
factors that could give rise to this phenomenon.
"Meanwhile, the
situation had become catastrophic. There were a million registered
alcoholics alone. According to the Institute of Sociology of the USSR
Academy of Sciences, the annual loss to the economy from drunkenness was
an estimated 80 to 100 billion rubles. Life-expectancy was down, and the
health of present and future generations was being undermined. . . The
example of the leaders, who paid lavish tribute to the ‘green snake’
of alcohol, also has a bad effect.
Let’s Have Fun
"Society grew indifferent to drunkenness–it even became the
subject of good-natured humor. The detention of drunks for fifteen days,
their periods in drunk ‘tanks,’ and time spent sweeping the streets
became popular story lines for jokes."
How similar to the
situation in the USA. Drunkenness is "funny." This has always
perplexed me. Alcoholism is a disease that causes extensive suffering and
death. Comedians do not often joke about cancer or AIDS. Why then should
they joke about alcoholism?
The Economic Advantages
"Perhaps the saddest thing was that although there was a severe
shortage of consumer goods, the authorities could not think of any way to
maintain monetary circulation other than by selling alcohol to make people
drunk. This sounds crazy, but it is the pure truth. The gap between the
enormous money supply and the wretched supply of goods was filled with
alcohol, and the manufacture of cheap wine that people call ‘bormotukha’
increased steadily."
Family Victims
"There was strong public pressure on Party and government agencies,
which were receiving a flood of letters, mainly from wives and mothers.
These letters cited frightening example of family tragedies, industrial
accidents and crime due to drunkenness. Writers and doctors put their
complaints in the darkest terms. Nevertheless, we did not impose a ‘prohibition.’
It was not even considered. . .
The Plan
"The plan was to reduce alcohol sales gradually (I emphasize–gradually),
as it was replaced by other good in circulation and sources of budget
revenue. . .What happened?
"As is often the
case, the idea and its implementation were miles apart–I would say that we
were both realistic and responsible during the discussion and
decision-making, but when the time came to carry out our decision we began
to do things helter-skelter and to allow excesses, and thus we ruined a
useful and good initiative. . .
The Outcome
". . .Alas, the anti-alcohol campaign became one more sad example
of how faith in the omnipotence of command methods, extremism and
administrative zeal can ruin a good idea. Soon drink shops and wine and
vodka bottlers began to close, and in a few places even vineyards fell under
the axe. Production of light wine was curtailed, which was certainly not our
intention. Expensive brewing equipment bought in Czechoslovakia rusted and
became useless. Home brewing became widespread. Sugar vanished from the
shelves. Then cheap eau do Cologne vanished from the shelves–to be
consumed in place of alcohol. The use of all kinds of ‘substitutes’
resulted in an increase in illnesses. Thus stretched the sinister
chain."
Positive and Negative Results
"It would be wrong to say that the anti-alcohol measures were
absolutely useless or caused only bad feelings. There were decreases in
accidents, fatalities, lost working time, hooliganism and divorces due to
drunkenness and alcoholism. . . However, the negative consequences of the
anti-alcohol campaign greatly exceeded its positive aspects. . .
". . .We were
genuinely committed to getting rid of this scourge, but, frightened by the
negative results of our campaign, we went to the other extreme and dropped
it altogether. Today the floodgates are open for a spate of drunkenness and
look at the sad state we are in now! How much more difficult it will be to
escape from today’s predicament!" (Memoirs by Mikhail Gorbachev,
pages 219-222)
The poet, Kipling,
wrote:
"The
Colonel’s lady and Rosy O’Grady are sisters under the skin."
When it
comes to alcohol and alcoholism, the Americans and Russians are brothers and
sisters in indulgence and tragedy.
RUSSIA’S NUCLEAR TIME
BOMB
The following article was published in the
March 17-30 edition of the Socialist Magazine, In These Times:
"Nuclear
crisis in the heart of a giant metropolis sounds like science fiction, but
experts warn it could happen at a crumbling, cash-starved Moscow research
center that bristles with atomic reactors.
"The Kurchatov
Institute, a formerly secret scientific enclave wedged between apartment
blocks in northwestern Moscow, was the birthplace of the Soviet Union’s
atomic-weapons program and a key center of nuclear experimentation for
almost half a century. But a dramatic financial crunch, combined with
plummeting morale among Kurchatov’s 7,000 chronically unpaid workers,
has turned the Institute’s seven functioning nuclear reactors and
several tone of ill-protected radioactive waste, into an ecological time
bomb.
"‘We are on
the horns of a particularly terrible dilemma,’ says Andrei Gagarinsky,
Kurchatov’s director of public relations. ‘We can no longer afford to
safely operate our nuclear reactors, but we have no money to shut them
down properly either.’ . . .
"The Institute’s
sprawling grounds are littered with trash, rusting equipment and
unfinished construction. Buildings that house atomic material are
unguarded, and employees often don’t show up for work. One research
worker, who asked not to be named, says safety standards have sharply
declined and that not even the most vital maintenance work is still being
performed on Kurchatov’s nuclear equipment. She says workers are often
asked to take their contaminated suits home and wash them there, because
the Institute can no longer afford laundry service.
"‘Nuclear
reactors require round-the-clock supervision, but how do you ask people
who haven’t been paid for four months to stay up all night?’ says
Gagarinsky. . . And the institute recently disclosed that some 60,000 tons
of highly radioactive nuclear waste left over from the Stalin-era
atomic-bomb project was buried in decaying concrete containers on its
grounds.’ . . .
"About 10
million people live in the Moscow area, within a 30-kilometer radius of
the Kurchatov Institute.
"‘In
principle, it is downright dangerous to locate nuclear reactors and store
large amounts of radioactive material inside a large city, even in the
best of conditions,’ says Edward Gismatullin, a nuclear expert with
Greenpeace Russia. ‘But these are far from good conditions. The system
of control at the Kurchatov Institute is unraveling. Skilled staff are
leaving in droves, and those who remain are very unhappy. Unless something
radical is done, and quickly, it is a very bad accident waiting to happen.’"
|